--- description: No one was hurt title: Meteorite Leaves Crater in Nicaragua image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd9bed11dc268dc19/6986a24ee53aba5ce14d44b7/meteorite-nicaragua.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Science](/section/science/) ## Science Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Space](/tag/space/) ## Space Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # See the Crater a Meteorite Made in Nicaragua  by [Naina Bajekal](/author/naina-bajekal/)  ## Naina Bajekal Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Bajekal was executive editor and international editor at TIME. Sep 8, 2014 1:14 PM CUT  A Nicaraguan soldier checks the site where an alleged meteorite struck on Sept. 7, 2014 in Managua. A Nicaraguan soldier checks the site where an alleged meteorite struck on Sept. 7, 2014 in Managua.German Miranda—AFP/Getty Images  by [Naina Bajekal](/author/naina-bajekal/)  ## Naina Bajekal Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Bajekal was executive editor and international editor at TIME. Sep 8, 2014 1:14 PM CUT A small meteorite [struck](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-29106843 "undefined") a wooded area near the Nicaraguan capital’s airport on Saturday night. Residents reported hearing a loud bang, and the crater left by the meteorite measured 40-feet wide and 16-feet, BBC reports. No one was hurt. Astronomer Humberto Saballos [said](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-29106843 "undefined") the meteorite could be part of an asteroid that passed by Earth Saturday night. International experts have been asked to help local scientists in their investigation. \[[_BBC_](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-29106843 "undefined")\] ### PHOTOS: This Astronaut's Images of Earth Look Like Beautiful Abstract Paintings  "Harsh land. Windswept valleys in northern #Africa"—Alexander Gerst via Twitter on July 6, 2014 Alexander Gerst—ESA  "Land use in South Africa, you can see where water is."—Alexander Gerst via Twitter on July 9, 2014. Alexander Gerst—ESA  "Irrigation in the #Sahara #Desert looks like a challenging task from up here... #BlueDot"—Alexander Gerst via Twitter on July 28, 2014 Alexander Gerst—ESA  "An open history book of our planet: the #Sahara Desert"—Alexander Gerst via Twitter on July 26, 2014 Alexander Gerst—ESA  "An open history book of our planet: the # Sahara Desert"—Alexander Gerst via Twitter on July 26, 2014 Alexander Gerst—ESA/SIPA USA  "Close-up of gigantic Salar of Uyuni in Bolivia. You can even see the salt fields and the 'Cactus Island'."—Alexander Gerst via Twitter on July 15, 2014. Alexander Gerst—ESA  "The #Moon was still behind the horizon. A #FataMorgana of atmospherical refraction #BlueDot"—Alexander Gerst via Twitter on July 14, 2014 Alexander Gerst—ESA/SIPA USA  "When I took this photo, I was sure these are clouds. But now I'm not so sure... #BlueDot"—Alexander Gerst via Twitter on July 7, 2014 Alexander Gerst—ESA  "Probably a river in Kazakhstan or slightly west of it."—Alexander Gerst via Twitter on July 29, 2014 Alexander Gerst—ESA/SIPA USA  "An open history book of our planet: the #Sahara Desert"—Alexander Gerst via Twitter on July 26, 2014 Alexander Gerst—ESA  "Human-made fires in East Africa. Can you spot them?"—Alexander Gerst via Twitter on July 9, 2014 Alexander Gerst—ESA ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3302473/see-the-crater-a-meteorite-made-in-nicaragua/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3302473/see-the-crater-a-meteorite-made-in-nicaragua/"},"headline":"See the Crater a Meteorite Made in Nicaragua","datePublished":"2014-09-08T13:14:06.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:07:47.456Z","description":"No one was hurt","url":"https://time.com/3302473/see-the-crater-a-meteorite-made-in-nicaragua/","keywords":["Space"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd9bed11dc268dc19/6986a24ee53aba5ce14d44b7/meteorite-nicaragua.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Naina Bajekal","jobTitle":"Bajekal was executive editor and international editor at TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/naina-bajekal/"}],"articleSection":"Science","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd9bed11dc268dc19/6986a24ee53aba5ce14d44b7/meteorite-nicaragua.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"A Nicaraguan soldier checks the site where an alleged meteorite struck on Sept. 7, 2014 in Managua.","caption":"A Nicaraguan soldier checks the site where an alleged meteorite struck on Sept. 7, 2014 in Managua.","creditText":"German Miranda—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/science/","name":"Science"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/space/","name":"Space"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3302473/see-the-crater-a-meteorite-made-in-nicaragua/","name":"See the Crater a Meteorite Made in Nicaragua"}}]}] ```